"No, not beautiful; but everything in most of the houses where I went was handsome; often it was magnificent."
"I suppose it seemed so to you," said Charity.
"Tell us, Lois!" urged the other sister.
"What do you think of solid silver dishes to hold the vegetables on the table, and solid silver pudding dishes, and gold teaspoons, in the most delicate little painted cups?"
"I should say it was ridiculous," said the elder sister. "What's the use o' havin' your vegetables in silver dishes?"
"What's the use of having them in dishes at all?" laughed Lois. "They might be served in big cabbage leaves; or in baskets."
"That's nonsense," said Charity. "Of course they must be in dishes of some sort; but vegetables don't taste any better out o' silver."
"The dinner does not taste any better," said Lois, "but it looks a deal better, I can tell you. You have just no idea, girls, how beautiful a dinner table can be. The glass is beautiful; delicate, thin, clear glass, cut with elegant flowers and vines running over it. And the table linen is a pleasure to see, just the damask; it is so white, and so fine, and so smooth, and woven in such lovely designs. Mrs. Wishart is very fond of her table linen, and has it in beautiful patterns. Then silver is always handsome. Then sometimes there is a most superb centre-piece to the table; a magnificent tall thing of silver—I don't know what to call it; not a vase, and not a dish; but high, and with different bowls or shells filled with flowers and fruit. Why the mere ice-creams sometimes were in all sorts of pretty flower and fruit forms."
"Ice-cream!" cried Madge.
"And I say, what's the use of all that?" said Charity, who had not been baptized in character.